THE SCREEN; Amusing Murders. Versatile Willard Mack.

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The screen translation of Maxwell Anderson's prize play, "Saturday's Children," is interspersed with dialogue passages that occasionally boom in a disquieting fashion and others that subside into abashed tones so low that the words of the players cannot always be heard. Although these audible sequences rather detract from the value of parts of the picture, it is a production that is directed with imagination, sympathy and restraint and therefore survives the periodical outbursts of speech.Corinne Griffith, whose beauty has called upon many an adjective in the past, plays the part of "Bobby" Halvey, which on the stage was acted by Ruth Gordon. Miss Griffith may not shine in the spoken scenes, due to the tempermental microphone, but her work without considering her lines is most commendable. Grant Withers appears as Jim O'Neill, a character which in the original was known as Rims O'Neill, Mr. Withers is capital as the young man who is impelled to propose marriage to "Bobby," because he is led to believe that his rival, a mythical Fred, may steal her from him.This pictorial effort was directed by Gregory La Cava, who has not permitted cinematic transmutation to spoil the human quality of the play. Where it is possible. Mr. La Cava has introduced charming touches of gentle comedy. This is especially noticeable in a stretch where "Bobby" and Jim go to listen to the band in Central Park, a chapter that is really helped by the excellent Vitaphone reproduction of the band music. The two lovers are beheld cheek to cheek, sitting in a chair, Jimmy being sometimes a little bothered by the broad brim of his sweetheart's hat. There is the sudden rush for seats vacated by others, and then Mr. La Cava gives one an amusingly true suggestion of an uncouth individual who has never watched his calories. This adipose person leans across "Bobby" and asks Jimmy for a light, and soon the smoke from his cigar clouds the girl's pretty face.Albert Conti officiates as Mr. Mengle, who finds himself thinking of "Bobby's" pretty ankles as he dictates a letter to her. Mengle's thoughts become so confused that he says "hosiery" when he means "overalls." But one understands that this letter taken down by his stenographer is all a blind, for when he passes her desk, after she has gone to lunch, he tears off the sheet of paper on which are the stenographic signs and crumples it up. He is an employer who delights in giving orchids to "Bobby."It is at the suggestion of Florrie, an intelligent blonde, that "Bobby," somewhat awkwardly, starts the talk about the imaginary Fred. Jimmy was to leave for South America, but so soon as he realizes that somebody else is infatuated with "Bobby" he decides to abandon the position that would take him away for three years.Mr. La Cava does not invite one to gaze upon a marriage ceremony coupled with the bridal march, but contents himself with depicting the exterior of a church, then a man sweeping away rice and old shoes, and, quite artistically, Mr. La Cava dissolves from the sweeping or the rice to a glimpse of "Bobby" in her new small apartment sweeping the kitchen floor.The squabbling of the young couple is filmed with restraint and the scenes in which they decide to separate are set forth with a nice vein of humor flashing here and there midst the scowling.Not long afterward, "Bobby," back at her old position of stenographer for Mr. Mengle, is perceived dining with her employer. The amount of the restaurant check is $27, which might mean only money to anybody else, but to "Bobby" it conveys much, for it is the amount of the rent she and Jimmy paid for their humble abode. The $3 that Mr. Mengle hands to the waiter is the same amount that "Bobby" had returned to Jimmy for the milk bill.Albert Conti is splendid as Mengle and Alma Tell does well in the part of Florrie.Vitaphone short subjects preface "Saturday's Children," and one of them, a sketch with Shaw and Lee, causes one to think of the fact that talking comedians can go on their own sweet way whether the audience is entertained or not.

Maxwell Anderson's Prize Play.SATURDAY'S CHILDREN, with Corinne Griffith, Grant Withers, Albert Conti, Alma Tell, Lucien Littlefield, Charles Lane, Ann Schaeffer, Marcia Harris and others, based on Maxwell Anderson's prize play, directed by Gregory La Cava; Fox Movietone news and Pathe Sound news; Vitaphone subjects of "Here Comes the Show Boat"; McKay and Ardine and Shaw and Lee. At the Mark Strand.It is not often that murder results in amusement, but such is the case with the talking pictorial version of Owen Davis's thriller, "The Donovan Affair," which is now holding forth at the Roxy. The thundering of a bullying police inspector, the stupidity of his broad-shouldered aide and the mingled feelings of indignation, irritation and nervousness of the other characters end in causing this sanguinary yarn to bubble with merriment.Except for such periods when a woman permits her confidential remarks to pierce the night with an alarming show of lung-power and the hesitant and poorly acted sequences with other feminine personalities, the audible angle of this film is quite commendable. It is a yarn that sustains the interest, and because of its farcical quality it affords good entertainment.Before the screening of the first scene there is a caption requesting those in the theatre not to reveal the identity of the slayer. There is the usual suspicion attached to several of the characters, so that nobody could wager on the man who snuffed out the lives of two persons. Here, however, the outline of the chronicle is mapped out more intelligently than usual.The first killing, in which Mr. Donovan, a welching gambler, passes out of this life, is accomplished while the people are seated at dinner and when the room has been darkened to observe the effect of a cat's eye ring worn by the ill-fated Donovan.Inspector Killian (Jack Holt) hurries to Peter Rankin's home, and he rearranges the scene as it was when the murder was committed. One can imagine the feelings of some of the characters who are not too sure of those sitting next to them, and it is therefore with great trepidation that they take their places at the table. Inspector Killian then balls for the lights to be extinguished, and there follows a woman's scream, and when the lights are switched on, a Mr. Porter, who was known to be anything but friendly with Donovan, has also been killed.The romance in this film is supplied by William Collier Jr. and Dorothy Revier. Agnes Ayres impersonates Peter Rankin's young wife. She is chiefly concerned, before the murder of Donovan, about the money he has taken from her by blackmail.Fred Kelsey figures as Carney, the blundering detective, who causes amusement to the audience and general exasperation to the guests in Rankin's home.Mr. Holt is successful as the Inspector. Dorothy Revier is fair, and only fair, as the beauty in the case. Ethel Wales, who has so often mothered heroes of the screen, is seen here in a comic role. John Roche does well as the unfortunate Donovan.Among the Movietone news subjects are President Hoover making his recent speech on law-breaking, "Down the Malay Coast," Culver Military Academy cadets in their drills and daily dozens, United States Marines in China and a short talk by John F. Curry, the new Tammany Hall chieftain.There is also a movietone of the United Hunts Spring meet at Rye, N. Y., in which there is a most impressive scene of a bad spill. None of the riders or horses was injured. The crash against the side of the jump and the sounds of the falling and struggling horses give one a shock.

Amusing Murders.THE DONOVAN AFFAIR, with Jack Holt, Dorothy Revier, William Collier Jr., John Roche, Fred Kelsey, Agnes Ayres, Hank Mann, Wheeler Oakman, Virginia Brown Faire, Alphonse Ethier, Edward Hearn, Ethel Wales and John Wallace, based on Owen Davis's play of the same name, directed by Frank Capra; "voices of Spring"; Movietone news; Divertissements; At the Roxy Theatre.Willard Mack is a better actor than a writer, if one is to judge by the dialogue picture now at the Capitol. He is to be seen as a deliberate detective in this production, "The Voice of the City," which he wrote as well as directed. It is a film that is often reminiscent of the play, "Broadway," although it is not concerned with the stage or night clubs. Here one has that familiar theme of a young man being railroaded to jail for another's crime, the shooting of a policeman. Robert Amos impersonates Doyle, who was convicted through the false testimony of others. In the initial scenes Doyle's sweetheart, Beebe, and his sister, Mary, have learned that Doyle has escaped from prison and is expected in their home at any moment. "Johnny the Hop," who lives up to his name; has engineered Doyle's dash for liberty and he arranges for the young man to live in a garret near his room. Access to this garret is gained through a secret panel. The place was used by a bootlegger in other days.Beebe and Mary have not been idle. They have turned a sofa into a good hiding place and while it looks as if it might be the first point on which a detective would focus his attention, they have done as well as they could. And, to make their efforts worth while, Mr. Mack, the writer, arranges that Mr. Mack, the detective, shall never suspect the sofa in the beginning, but shall use it in a way at the end.Mr. Mack, as Biff Myers, the detective, takes things as easily as the sleuth in "Broadway." He is often right, but occasionally wrong. Mr. Mack's voice registers remarkably well and he sticks closely to his character.As the writer, Mr. Mack frequently becomes far too sentimental. He does not have to say the silly things and therefore perhaps does not realize how they sound. His part, as a matter of fact, is written with much more care than any of the others.Clark Marshall is impressive as the dope taker, Johnny, a queer character, but none the less effective at the psychological moments. Johnny is the cause of the escape, as has been said, and through him and Beebe, Biff Myers find out Doyle's hiding place. And, in the end, it is due to Johnny that justice is satisfied.Charles King, the featured player in "Broadway Melody," is to be seen in person in the stage offering, "Shades of Blue."

Versatile Willard Mack.THE VOICE OF THE CITY, with Robert Ames, Willard Mack, Sylvia Field, James Farley, John Miljan, Clark Marshall, Duane Thompson and others, written and directed by Willard Mack; "Shades of Blue," with Charles King. At the Capitol.

A version of this review appears in print on April 29, 1929 of the National edition with the headline: THE SCREEN; Amusing Murders. Versatile Willard Mack. Order Reprints|Today's Paper|Subscribe